Textile yarn and process for producing it



lfatented July 23, 1940 UNlTED STATES TEXTILE YARN AND PROCESS. FORPRODUCING IT 'Henry Dreyfus, London, England No Drawing. ApplicationMarch 28, 1936, Se-

rial No. 71,458. In 1935 14 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in textile yarns and processesfor producing them, and is -more particularly concerned with increasingthe permanence of crimp or crinkle in textile yarns.

When an artificial crimp is imparted to textile yarns by passing theyarns through crimping rollers which may be heated, in most cases thecrimp obtained is of a relatively impermanent character and is very muchreduced or removed altogether in washing operations. This isparticularly so with yarns of natural or regenerated cellulose. Withyarns of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose orother thermoplastic substances, the crimp may be more permanent thanwith natural or regenerated cellu lose yarns, particularly if thetemperature and pressure at which the crimp is applied is suificient torender plastic the substance composing the filaments or fibres of theyarn. The same is also true to a less extent of crimp imparted tonatural silk yarns. However, even here there is the disadvantage that ifthe temperature and pressure are raised with the object of rendering thecrimp entirely resistant to washing, there is a danger of damaging theyarn.

The present invention has as its object to render crimp, crinkle or likedeformation of the fibres or filaments of a textile yarn permanent, ormore resistant to washing. According to the present invention, after theinsertion of the crimp, crinkle or similar deformation in the fibres orfilaments which constitute or which are to constitute the yarn, acondensation or polymerisation is brought about in the fibres orfilaments so as to fix the crimp, crinkle or the like.

Condensation to produce synthetic resins may be brought about in thefibres or filaments either by interaction of suitable reagents in thematerial or by carrying out at least the last stages of the condensationnecessary to produce the synthetic resin in the material.

Preferably the fibres or filaments are impregnated with the reagentsnecessary for the condensation or polymerisation or with an intermediatecondensation or polymerisation product before applying the crimping,crinkling or like process, especially when, as is desirable; thereagents or intermediate products are applied from an aqueous solutionor emulsion. The material may, for example, be impregnated with thereagents or the intermediate product, excess removed by heavy squeezerollers, the material dried or substantially dried, and then subjectedto the crimping, crinkling or like process. Further,

Great Britain April 4,

(c1. lea-sci where one of the reagents for the formation of thecondensation or polymerisation product, for example formaldehyde, is tobe applied in gaseous or vaporous form, such application may take placeafter the insertion of the crimp, crinkle or 5 similar deformation.

A wide variety of condensation or polymerisation products is availablefor use according to the invention, for example synthetic resins of thephenol-formaldehyde type, of the phenol-ketonealdehyde type, of theketone-aldehyde type, and of the ureaor thiourea-aldehyde type. Forexample, phenol, cresols, diphenylol propane, resorcinol or the like, oracetone or methyl ethyl ketone may be condensed with formaldehyde orother aldehyde. For nitrogenous resins, aliphatic or aromatic amines oramides generally, for example urea, thiourea, guanidine and theirderivatives, dicyandiamide, aniline, methyl aniline, diphenylamine,benzyl aniline, B-naphthylamine, para-to1uene-sulphonamide or otheraromatic sulphonamides or N-alkyl or other derivatives thereof, may beemployed and condensed with formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, or otherreactive aldehyde. 25

Another group of compounds available is the vinyl compounds capable ofproducing the synthetic resins by polymerisation. For example the vinylresins may be polymerised vinyl acetate, polymerised vi n y lchloracetate, polymerised acrylic methyl or ethyl ester, polymerisedmethacrylic methyl or ethyl ester, and their homologues and substitutionproducts. As with the synthetic resins obtainable by condensation, thevinyl and other unsaturated resins may be applied to the material in themonomeric state or in an intermediate stage of polymerisation in whichthey are readily soluble, and the polymerisation or furtherpolymerisation carried out on the material.

As described in U. S. application S. No. 57,452 filed January 3, 1936,formaldehyde or other aldehyde or substances yielding aldehydes may bebrought to reaction in the materials in the presence of oils,plasticisers or other softening agents, and especially substancescontaining a chain of at least eight carbon atoms and preferably twelveor more carbon atoms in length. Reference is made to the specificationof this application for examples of suitable substances.

As previously indicated, it is preferable to apply the reagents orintermediate products to the materials from aqueous solution. Organicsolvents may, however, be employed, either in the anhydrous orsubstantially anhydrous condition or mixed with water, as media forapplying the resgents orintermediate products and their use may,especially with textiles which are soluble .or become swollen by theorganic media, e. g., cellulose derivatives, assist penetration. Organicmedia are also useful where the reagents or intermediate products areapplied after the crimping, crinkling or like process.

It is particularly desirable that the reagents or intermediate productsshould penetrate the filaments or fibres and that no substantialquantity should be left adhering to the outside. To this end excessshould be removed under heavy pressure, applied for instance by means ofcalender rolls. The use 'of dilute solutions also assists in reducingthe quantity of reagents adhering to the exterior of the filaments orfibres.

The crimp, crinkle or the like may be imparted as previously describedby means of crimping rollers which may be heated, or steam may beapplied to the material during passage through the crimping rollers,this latter mode of operation being particularly suitable for use onyarns of cellulose acetate or other organic derivative of cellulose. Afurther method of inserting a crimp or crinkle consists in applying atwist, and preferably a'high twist, to the yarn and subsequentlyuntwisting. The condensation or polymerisation is preferably eifectedafter the insertion of the twist to produce the crimp or crinkle andbefore the removal of this twist. However, if desired the crimp orcrinkle due to the insertion of the twist may be temporarily fixed inthe yarn by treatment with steam, hot water or the like before theuntwisting. and the condensation or polymerisation effected after theuntwisting.

The present invention further includes treatment of the yarns so as tobreak up" the crimp or crinkle in the yarn, or, so to speak-render thecrimp orcrinkle in some of the filaments or fibres constituting the yarnout of phase with the crimp or crinkle in other filaments or fibres inthe yarn. By this means, a volmninous yarn of very wool-like characteris produced. In some cases the breaking up" of the crimp or crinkle maybe effected very simply by the insertion of twist. For example wherecrimp has been inserted by means of crimping rollers acting p n a yarnhaving very low twist or no twist at all, the crimp may be broken up bythe subsequent insertion of. twist. If the yarn before the inser- -tionof crimp or crinkle has an ordinary or high degree of twist, it ispreferable in order to "break up" the crimp or crinkle to twist the yarnin the reverse direction so that it passes through the neutral point ofno twist. Such a process is applicable in particular to continuousfilament yarns.

Another process which assists iii "breaking up" the crimp or crinkle isto cut the filaments of a continuous filament yarn into comparativelyshort lengths while retaining the continuity of the yarn. Processes foreifecting such cutting are described in U. S. applications S. No.

be applied to a crimped or crinkled yarn initially made up of staplefibre, or to a yarn which was initially a continuous filament yarn andis subsequently converted into a staple fibre yarn as described. When,after the crimping or crinkling process, or after the fixation of thecrimp or crinkle according to the invention, the yarn is in a conditionof substantially no twist, a blast of air applied to the running yarnalso assists in breaking up the crimp or. crinkle.

The process may be applied to the staple fibre itself which issubsequently to constitute the yarn, in which case the ordinary spinningoperation including a drawing process will eflfect the desired break up"of the crimp or crinkle. The staple fibre may, for example, be treatedin the form of a sliver. r

The condensation or polymerisation to fix the crimp or crinkle in thematerial may be-carried out before or after the operation designed tobreak up" the crimp or crinkle. Preferably the reaction conditions aresuch that the condensation or polymerisation product is produced in thedesired water-insoluble state in as short a time A urea/formaldehydesolution is prepared as follows:

Parts by weight Urea 40 40% formaldehyde The mixture is made alkaline,brought to the boil, and 5 parts by weight of magnesium chloride added.The'solution is cooled and poured into 240 parts by weight of watercontaining 15 parts by weight of magnesium chloride. A viscose yarn issoaked-in this solution for 5 minutes, squeezed and dried at 50 C. Theyarn is then placed for 5 minutes in a 5% solution of ethyl stearate ordibutyl phthalate in methyl alcohol, squeezed, then dried at 50 C. Theyarn is thereafter twisted so as to insert a high degree of twist, forexample 50-60 turns per inch, and in the highly twisted state is heatedfor 5 minutes at C. The yarn is thereafter untwisted so as to pass theneutral point of twist and to insert atwist of about 5 turns per inch inthe reverse direction. In this manner a very woolly yarn is produced.

Examplcz A cotton yarn is swollen by allowing it to stand for 5 minutesin caustic soda at 20' Tw., is then washed in warm water and soaked for15 minutes in a resin-forming solution made up as follows:

Parts by weight Phenol 60 40% formaldehyde 50 The yarn is thencentrifuged, dried at 50 0., immersed in 40% formaldehyde for 1 minute,and again dried at 50 C. The yarn is then passed through crimpingrollers which may, if

desired, be enclosed in a steam chamber, and is finally heated to C. for8 minutes.

Example 3 A viscous yarn is crimped or crinkled by the process andapparatus described in U. S. applications S. Nos. 727,609, filed May 26,1934, and 21,376 filed May 14, 1935. It is thereafter padded with asolution of Brilliant Avirol in 20% formaldehyde with or without a smallquantity of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The yarn is squeezed anddried, care being taken to apply as small a tension as possible. Theyarn is finally heated for 5 minutes at 140 C. The yarn may then beconverted into a staple fibre yarn by any of the processes described inU. S. applications S. No. 726,264 filed May 18, 1934, and S. Nos.66,866, 66,867, and 66,868, all filed March 3, 1936.

Example 4 A cellulose acetate yarn saponified to a loss in weight of 5to 20 or 25% is treated according to the process of any of the precedingexamples, a swelling in aqueous acetone (46.5% acetone by volume) beinginterposed before the impregnation with the reagents for condensation orpolymerisation.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a process for the production of filaments,

fibres, yarns and like materials displaying a" crimped or crinkledeffect and wherein the curl in some of the filaments or fibres is out ofphase with the curl in other filaments or fibres in the yarn, the stepwhich comprises fixing the crimp or crinkle in the fibres or filamentsby effecting a condensation or polymerization in the fibres orfilaments.

2. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a crimped or crinkled effect, which comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments, fibres, yarns and like materials,treating the crimped or crinkled materials to cause the curl in some ofthe filaments or fibres thereof to be out of phase with the curl inother filaments or fibres thereof, and thereafter forming apolymerization or condensation product within the materials.

3. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a crimped or crinkled effect, which-comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments, fibres, yarns and like materialscarrying reagents capable of polymerization or condensation, treatingthe crimped or crinkled materials to cause the curl in some of thefilaments or fibres thereof to be out of phase with the curl in otherfilaments or fibres thereof, and thereafter polymerizing or condensingthe reagents.

4. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a crimped or crinkled effect which comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments, fibres, yarns and like materials,treating the crimped or crinkled materials to cause the curl in some ofthe filaments or fibres thereof to be out of phase with the curl inother filaments or fibres thereof, and thereafter forming a resinouspolymerization or condensation product within the materials.

5. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a. crimped or crinkled effect, which comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments, fibres, yarns and like materialscarrying reagents capable of polymerization or condensation to form aresinous product, treating the crimped or crinkled materials to causethe curl in some of the filaments or fibres thereof to be out of phasewith the curl in other filaments or fibres thereof, and thereafterpolymerizing or condensing the reagents.

6. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling filaments orfibres, thereafter forming a polymerization or condensation productwithin the filaments or fibres, and subjecting yarn containing thefilaments or fibres to a finishing operation which breaks up the crimpor crinkle so that the curl in some of the filaments or fibres is out ofphase with the curl in other filaments or fibres in the yarn.

7. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling filaments orfibres, thereafter forming a resinous polymerization or condensationproduct within the filaments or fibres, and subjecting yarn containingthe filaments or fibres to a finishing operation which breaks up thecrimp or crinkle so that the curl in some of the filaments or fibres isout of phase with the curl in other filaments or fibres in the yarn.

8. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling filaments orfibres carrying reagents capable of polymerization or condensation toform a resinous product, thereafter polymerizing or condensing saidreagents, and subjecting'yarn containing the filaments or fibres to afinishing operation which breaks up the crimp or crinkle so that thecurl in some of the filaments or fibres is out of phase with the curl inother filaments or fibres in the yarn.

9. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling staple fibres,thereafter forming a polymerization or condensation product within thestaple fibres, and subjecting yarn containing the staple fibres to adrawing operation whereby the curl in some of the fibres is caused to beout of phase with the curl in other fibres in the yarn.

10. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling continuousfilaments, thereafter forming a resinous polymerization or condensationproduct within the filaments, and converting yarn containing thefilaments to staple fibre yarn whereby the curl in some of the filamentsin the staple fibre yarn is caused to be out of phase with the curl inother filaments of said yarn.

11. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling continuousfilaments, thereafter forming a resinous polymerization or condensationproduct within the filaments, and converting yarn containing thefilaments to staple fibre yarn while retaining the continuity of theyarn whereby the curl in some of the filaments in the staple fibre yarnis caused to be out of phase with the curl in other filaments of saidyarn.

12. Process for the production of improved yarns displaying a crimped orcrinkled effect, which comprises crimping or crinkling filaments orfibres, thereafter forming a resinous polymerization or condensationproduct within the filaments or fibres, and breaking up the crimp orcrinkle in yarn containing the filaments or fibres by changing thedegree of twist in the yarn.

13. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a crimped or crinkled eflect, which comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments fibres, yarns and like materials,treating the 'crimped or crinkled materials to cause the curl in some ofthe filaments or fibres thereo! to be out of phase with the curl inother filaments or fibres thereof, and thereafter forming awater-insoluble polymerization or condensation product within thematerials.

'14. Process for the production of improved filaments, fibres, yarns andlike materials displaying a crimped or crinkled effect, which comprisescrimping or crinkling filaments, fibres, yarns and like materialscarrying reagents capable of polymerization or condensation to form awater-insoluble product, treating the crimped or crinkled materials tocause the curl in some of the filaments or fibres thereof to be out ofphase with the curl in other filaments or fibres thereof, and thereafterpolymerizing or condensing the reagents.

HENRY DREYFUS.

